


falling in

by herrscher



Category: Elsword (Video Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-16
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2019-03-31 23:20:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13985439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/herrscher/pseuds/herrscher
Summary: He's always hated the feeling of falling. This time, he won't make it, and he knows he won't, but that doesn't move the smile from his lips as he sees the El Search Party slowly fade from sight as he tumbles down, down, down.





	falling in

It's a feeling, he realizes, that he remembers from before, a life he had lived before Atlas Station, before the role of station administrator that he'd assumed, before the companionship of Nono. The feeling of hands on his chest, battered from abuse, from being attacked, pushing him until his feet can't find the ground beneath him. Solace doesn't spare him a glance as he falls, arms flailing even though he knows that he can't make his way back up in this state, fingers unable to grasp as he makes his descent, broken yet still functioning, falling to the world below. A world that seemed so far away from the paradise that was Elysion, yet approached so rapidly now that his body approaches it, nasod form cutting through air without resistance. He puts himself into sleep mode before he hits the ground. He doesn't want to feel when his sensors cease operation, when his CPU overrides alerts, warnings of damage and hardware malfunction.

He didn't expect to awaken from that state, in the middle of Atlas Station, scrap parts from other nasods patching up places where his own pieces were missing before. Why were they missing? Everything seems to be mismatched, spares on hand for repair of other types of nasod, but he doesn't think too heavily on it, assumes the role of administrator for the station out of gratitude, desire to aid. There isn't much to be done, but he learns as he exists, finds out what there is to know about the area.

The heavenly appearance of Elysion, from where he is, calls to him. He feels his cores ache, but he can't call the reason from his system memory, almost like it's a corrupted file, a missing piece of data unrecovered. He desires to reach it, but can't.

Humans are hardly what he anticipates, passing through Atlas Station. The first unfamiliar faces he's seen in — years? Months? How long has he maintained his station? There's something that tells him to beware, that not every person has pure intentions and wants to help or be helped. Some people take for their own gain. But, when he looks into the eyes of that red-headed boy, he thinks that, perhaps, people shouldn't be judged by their cover.

They are more than helpful. Some are hesitant, a bit wary of him, but there's one among him that seems to understand a bit more. Nono floats at his side, ever the companion, and Eve seems to be calm, a pleasant fellow nasod. How long has it been since he's seen someone that looked even somewhat like he did, outside of Dekal, of Maya? He asks to speak to her, at times, enjoys — appreciates — the words that she shares.

They fight their way through Elysion Tower, only to be faced by Maya, standing in their way. They ask for his help, but he's already remembered, one core down and one remaining. S-rank. He can help them, sacrifice himself for them. To save Elysion. To protect Adrian, like he originally hoped to.

The party doesn't see through the tears in their eyes, hear him over the sound of their own cries and screams of his name, Elsword the loudest.

But he's smiling as he falls, as his systems shut down. He falls with a resounding crack.

His last thoughts are that he wanted more time with them.


End file.
